I have glorified you on earth – John 17, Part 2

His Holiness Pope Shenouda III reflects on Christ’s words in John 17, especially: “I have glorified You on the earth. The work which You have given Me to do I have finished.” He explains how Christ presented a full account before the Father prior to the crucifixion, and how every person will one day offer a similar account of his life.

Main Idea of the Lecture

• Christ glorified the Father through perfect obedience, holy living, and the redemption He offered for humanity.
• Glorification is not by words but by deeds; Christ did not only speak but lived and completed the work given to Him by the Father.
• The word “You have given Me” is repeated many times in John 17, affirming that everything Christ has is from the Father in the divine economy, and that the disciples are a divine gift and a deposit to be preserved.

Spiritual Dimension (from a Coptic Orthodox perspective)

• A call to the believer to examine himself daily: Does he glorify God in his life? Has he completed the spiritual work, service, and responsibilities God has given him?
• “I have glorified You on the earth” is a call to live God’s glory practically and not only verbally.
• True glorification is found in faithfulness, obedience, and work that bears fruit in others’ lives.
• Christ gave us a model: He revealed the Father’s name, made Him known to people, and planted God’s love in their hearts.

Key Messages in the Lecture

• True knowledge of God is not information but entering into a relationship of love: “That the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”
• The disciples are a gift from God, and every servant must see every soul as a deposit from the Lord.
• The word given to the servant must first come from God, because only the divine word enters the heart and changes the will.
• The glory Christ gives to believers is relative glory such as sonship, light, and service—not the glory of His divinity.
• True service does not stop at explanation or knowledge but leads to divine love.
• Christ prepares the way to the Father just as John prepared the way to Christ, moving hearts from the seen to the unseen.

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